Local educators and politicians discussed ways to rebuild the pipeline of teachers. 

When Monika Williams Shealey graduated from the University of South Florida in 1995 and became a special education teacher, she learned that the field faced a crisis. 

Shealey was informed about the significant need for more special education teachers, as officials sought ways to get educators into the classrooms. 

Thirty-one years later, the nation continues to grapple with a lack of educators. 

“It’s 2026 and the problem is exacerbated. It’s not getting better. It’s getting worse,” said Shealey, dean of Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). 

She provided some insight on the topic during a roundtable held on March 6, where educators and politicians discussed ways to tackle the shortage of teachers in Philadelphia.  

The event was hosted by the PA Needs Teachers campaign and the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition at Morgan Hall.  

“We can’t talk about recruitment without talking about retention,” Shealey said during her remarks. “We’re spending a lot of time talking about rebuilding and maintaining the pipeline, but we’ve got to talk about working conditions and a career ladder for teachers. 

“There is no one silver bullet that is going to help us disrupt what has been a national trend,” she added. 

Shealey acknowledged that CEHD, which is Philadelphia’s largest producer of certified teachers, has experienced a 32% decline in teacher candidates for the last five years. She explained this is on par with what is happening around the country, as there has been a 35% national decline in teaching preparation. 

Shealey touted preservice training cohorts and yearlong class apprenticeships like the Temple Teacher Residency program, dual enrollment programs such as the Teacher Education Scholars, paraprofessional to teacher pathways, and partnering more effectively with community colleges as initiatives with strong evidence in rebuilding the pipeline of teachers. 

“The research is clear. Preparing cohorts of preservice candidates ensures that they have a network of support, that they also are learning from each other, and that is maintained after they are out of our programs and enter teaching,” she stated. 

Laura Boyce, executive director of Teach Plus Pennsylvania, shared key data which outlined the severity of the problem. According to Boyce, Philadelphia’s public and charter schools have a total of 433 vacancies, representing the highest number in Pennsylvania. 

She said enrollment in Philadelphia’s education preparation programs has declined by 50% since 2011, while the statewide number of certified teachers has fallen by more than 70%. 

“I start with this data because we want to be clear-eyed about the size of the problem that we face,” Boyce said. 

“We know that this crisis threatens both the academic success of our current students and the progress of future generations if we don’t act now,” Boyce added. “This crisis doesn’t just impact schools. It affects our broader workforce and Philadelphia’s economy at large.” 

She noted that Philadelphia has more than a 20% rate of emergency permits, which enables teachers to teach in public schools without standard certification. Boyce also highlighted Philadelphia’s 16% teacher turnover rate, which is the state’s highest. 

School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington spoke about the district’s efforts to help boost the ranks of educators. He highlighted strategies such as an initiative for high school students interested in becoming teachers and partnering with CEHD and other universities for a teacher residency program and a program for district paraprofessionals seeking to transition into teaching. 

“All of these intentional strategies are important to us because we not only want to recruit more teachers; we want to onboard them quickly, and our desire in the School District of Philadelphia is to retain every teacher,” Watlington said. 

He addressed the importance of elevating the profile of teachers.  

“We need to rebuild a pipeline, and it requires all of us to talk up the profession and thank teachers for the work they do,” Watlington said.  

Pennsylvania’s $30 million successful student teacher stipend program has been credited with removing the financial obstacles deterring people from entering the profession. The program provides financial support for student teachers who must complete at least 12 weeks of student teaching before leading a classroom, work they aren’t paid for. 

During the roundtable, state Sen. Vincent Hughes encouraged education advocates to fight for an increase in program funding. 

“We need an army of activists,” he said.  

Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed a $5 million increase in the program’s funding, as demand for the successful program has outpaced available funds. 

The stipend program offered Shannon Menarde, an early-career educator at Swenson Art and Technology High School, a sense of financial security when she was a student teacher during her last semester at Temple. 

“Receiving this was exciting,” Menarde said about the support she received, “knowing that all the hard work I had done during my student teaching and my four years of college had literally paid off. 

“I hope more funds continue to be used to support new teachers. Because the future of teaching is being handed down to our generation, increasing retention is super crucial,” said Menarde.